Friday, December 28, 2012

Monthly Recap: Yes, I'm Still Doing Them

November and December flew by almost entirely un-recapped!  Tune in next week when I reminisce over the whole past year.

In November...
 
We hosted our Housewarming Party - it was so wonderful to see our friends and family come and celebrate our accomplishment in buying this home.  Our Journey to Homeownership really felt like a war, and it felt good to celebrate our victory.
 
Left: Dr. Groomsman, myself and Best Friend Dodger
Right, from top to bottom: Myself and Soccer Girlfriend (Groomsman Concussion's longtime girlfriend, to be exact), Cuties Cute Apartment and her boyfriend, and my girl Future Dr. Babies and me
 
We got together with Cousin Ronomon and Tutor Girl and their sweet son, Lil C to take some quick photos for our Christmas Card this year - check out the hilarious outtakes HERE.
 
My Best Cousin came for a visit, and we disgracefully did not take a single photo together!  However, it was so nice to catch up with her, and spend some time one-on-one with one of my very favorite people.
 
Election Day came and went, and Handsome Husband and I rejoiced in the our living room over the results.  I don't talk politics much on the blog, but my lady parts were scared there for a minute.
 
Mother-in-Law Red celebrated this big 5-0 and we had a lovely brunch with the fam at Grandma Beach Bum and Grandpa Golfer's place.  You can find the recipe for the Nutella Pastries I made HERE, and the fun gift we gave the MIL Red HERE
 
We kicked off the holiday season with another Tree Lighting hosted at an outlet center owned by Gardening Mom and Handsome Husbands' company (yep, they work at the same company!).
 
{Via}
 
Handsome Husband's wonderful boss and her kind husband took us to a LA Galaxy soccer game - a conference final game at that!  And luckily, they won!
 


I finally headed up to LA for a long overdue visit.  While there, I managed to squeeze in a dorm visit and dinner with Sister Swimmer, a night out with Best Friends Fashionista and Swagger, and a wonderful brunch!
 
Loyola Marymount University visit, night out at Laurel Hardware, and brunch at open air dining Faux Pas Bistro
 
Handsome Husband's family got together to celebrate another November birthday - sweet Tutor Girl's!  Chef extraordinaire and Tutor Girl husband, Cousin Ronomon, created the most wonderful Italian dinner we got to enjoy in celebration of TG's special day.
 
Cousin Ronomon and happily pregnant Tutor Girl posing at her birthday dinner
 
Thanksgiving brought a super yummy dinner prepared by Gardening Mom, followed by dessert at Grandma Beach Bum's table.  So much food, so little time.
 
As if I didn't gain enough weight on Thanksgiving, it was Girl's Baking Day the day after Thanksgiving, where we kept the tradition going another year by getting ourselves covered in flour and baking far more than necessary amounts of cookies.
 
The family weekend continued as we took family photos with HH's entire extended family.  The photos turned out beautifully, though the act of taking them wasn't exactly relaxing (strong winds, short dresses, small children and eight women in the family...you do the math).  We were able to let off some steam at the Family Poker Tournament later that night though - I got second place again.  Or First Place Loser, as I like to call myself.
 


 
In December...
Sister Swimmer and I got to attend Jingle Ball (all because of HH's amazing ability to win tickets to just about anything and everything), a local concert hosted by one of the biggest radio stations in our area.  The highlight?  Taylor Swift's amazing show.  The low?  Our terrible seats - get it together, KISS FM!
 
{Via}
 
I hosted my first Girls' Night In, when I had my favorite local ladies over to watch the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at our home.  Read more and see photos HERE.
 
Handsome Husband made it through his first semester of law school, and to celebrate he (and myself and Cousin Study Buddy) donned ugly Christmas sweaters and hit up the end of the semester/Christmas party hosted by a law school friend.  HH also celebrated the occasion by drinking a few too many beers, and following that up with a shot of hot sauce...straight out of the bottle.  He was in rare form.
 
Aunt Fancy Chef hosted another wonderful Ladies' Holiday Tea - read about it and see some pretty photos HERE.
 
Gardening Mom hosted a wonderful Hanukkah dinner full of latkes, brisket, and some pretty menorah lights.
 
I hosted my first Christmas Eve Dinner, a tradition I hope to continue for years to come.
 
HH and I had our first-ever Christmas morning alone (only took us 5 years), and it was so fun to spend the morning with my love in our quiet little home before we spent the rest of the day shuttling between houses.
 
And next week, we will spend our last night of 2012 singing and dancing the night away at the same place we did last year.  Isn't it funny (and comforting, in a way) how so much changes a year, but at the same time - so much stays the same?



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